toyhaulers for mx family

jmpatt79
Posts
88
Joined
10/2/2011
Location
Burleson, TX, USA
Edited Date/Time 4/6/2015 9:46pm
so with the endless amount of knowledge that screams from this forum i was wondering , me and my wifey went looking at toyhaulers this past weekend . We have three children with only two that ride child number one 18 does not ride does not care to and probably will not spend much time at the track. 17 daughter that races and 15 year old son that races and me ..... is there any brands or models that are trouble or i should stay away from ? what are some of your dealings with them if you have one or did have one ,,,is it just the greatest thing ever or would you have spent money some where else ?
|
stackman17
Posts
385
Joined
8/6/2011
Location
On a boat, TX, USA
1/27/2015 6:46pm Edited Date/Time 1/27/2015 6:47pm
I would man up and buy a bike for yourself, so that you can say you actually ride-more than two laps that is.
jmpatt79
Posts
88
Joined
10/2/2011
Location
Burleson, TX, USA
1/27/2015 6:53pm
ya ive been contemplating what bike yz450 or yz250 smoker
Preston412
Posts
987
Joined
10/5/2012
Location
Saint Augustine, FL, USA
Fantasy
1/27/2015 7:08pm
I prefer RV and trailer because of gas fumes and shop smell that linger into living quarters. Sometimes you can find great deals on B class RV's and 7x20 or 8x20 enclosed trailers but would take a toy hauler for the right price.
Now, for advice, get one that can sleep six just in case you bring another racer with you or your 18 yr old wants to come.
Always read a ton of reviews on the model you are looking at.
At weekendwarriortoyhauler.com you can design your own to your liking.
KLM85
Posts
75
Joined
1/24/2012
Location
Gilbert, AZ, USA
1/27/2015 7:29pm
I bought a 2014 forest river 25v I was pretty happy with. The layout makes all the difference to me. I got it with a bathroom and Real doors in between the front bedroom and kitchen/box which gives you some privacy. It's got a king bed in the bedroom and makes it feel more like a small apartment.

My daughter is younger and my wifes pregnant so I'm the only one riding but even being half ton towable you could still fit a 4 seat rzr plus a bike if you wanted. I'm a neat freak so I put the bike in the truck and don't have a utv.

Its 6500 lbs empty and it pulls nicely with my half ton 2014 ram. I prefer the portable quiet Honda generator so I opted to not get one with a generator.

I'd try to stay total length under thirty feet. 30 or shorter you can park most places and maneuver well.




The Shop

Katoomey
Posts
1714
Joined
1/18/2013
Location
USA
1/27/2015 7:43pm Edited Date/Time 1/27/2015 7:46pm
Livin' Lite. Check them out for sure. Conventional RV products are built like 18th century shithouses. They're heavy and don't hold up well.

I have a 16' Bearcat that I use to travel around to races. It is pretty tiny as far toy haulers go, but its perfect for a couple of buddies to go racing for the weekend. Mine has two tipouts, so you can technically sleep 4. It's built really well, and the design is really functional and practical. They probably aren't very WAF friendly though. They're sort of spartan and utilitarian.

The best thing about them is you can sleep in them with your toys still inside, which is very important to me in certain situations. well, that and they're half the weight of a most toy haulers of comparable size.
B-EVANS
Posts
259
Joined
4/8/2013
Location
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
1/27/2015 7:47pm
Don't know what price range/size you are looking at but if you go for bigger 5th wheel toyhauler, try to get a 12ft garage. We had a 10ft and upgraded to the 12. The little extra makes a big difference with several bikes and gear. The 2cd bathroom off garage is nice to when there is 4 or 5 of you. If you can get one with self leveling jacks it makes setup a lot easier. I know guys with Voltage, Road Warrior, and Cyclone. All seem to be quality.
motosmith
Posts
2046
Joined
11/8/2010
Location
Washougal, WA, USA
1/27/2015 8:11pm
Does anyone have an opinion on siding?

The smooth fiberglass looks good but I would hate to get any damage and have to repair it. The corrugated seems like it would be much easier to repair if necessary.
Mini Elsinore
Posts
1967
Joined
8/17/2006
Location
Huntington Beach, CA, USA
1/27/2015 8:55pm
Sprinter van and a hotel. Only one depreciating asset on your balance sheet and incredible flexibility of accommodations depending on location/budget. With a hitch, you can rent a small towable RV for big races. And, if any of your family decides they are over mx---you aren't stuck sitting on a RAPIDLY depreciating trailer.

We did a big trailer. Big mistake for my family. Spent all our time inside the trailer w/ the a/c on when hot---and with the heat on when cold. We met a lot more families before we had a country club on wheels.

Sounds like you have a cool family. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Mickolobe7
Posts
1076
Joined
9/5/2013
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
1/27/2015 9:21pm
KLM85 wrote:
I bought a 2014 forest river 25v I was pretty happy with. The layout makes all the difference to me. I got it with a bathroom...
I bought a 2014 forest river 25v I was pretty happy with. The layout makes all the difference to me. I got it with a bathroom and Real doors in between the front bedroom and kitchen/box which gives you some privacy. It's got a king bed in the bedroom and makes it feel more like a small apartment.

My daughter is younger and my wifes pregnant so I'm the only one riding but even being half ton towable you could still fit a 4 seat rzr plus a bike if you wanted. I'm a neat freak so I put the bike in the truck and don't have a utv.

Its 6500 lbs empty and it pulls nicely with my half ton 2014 ram. I prefer the portable quiet Honda generator so I opted to not get one with a generator.

I'd try to stay total length under thirty feet. 30 or shorter you can park most places and maneuver well.




That thing is sick how many bikes can you fit 3? How many snowmobiles 2 maybe?

I like your set up I have the same truck Black only need you toy hauler!
Jack mehoff
Posts
808
Joined
8/28/2012
Location
Westminster, MD, USA
1/27/2015 9:50pm Edited Date/Time 1/27/2015 9:51pm
I looked into this for a long time the following where for 5 th wheelers if you have the money the best built one is carage house , the rest are a crap shoot , the next best built is work and play , but they are not too fancy inside , the ones that you are looking at make sure you google that mfg / models and add problems into the search , it can make you sick Also if you are looking at new make sure you look at 16 foot garage , a lot off the mfgs refer to them as west coast or sand rail toy haulers , if you need to sell it it will not last long , where the 10-14 ft garages are a dime a dozen. Travis pastrna had his carrige house for sale in the Annapolis craigslist a while back , you might want to shoot him a email if your interested good luck in your search
Juss
Posts
1101
Joined
4/14/2011
Location
Bakersfield, CA, USA
1/27/2015 9:56pm Edited Date/Time 1/27/2015 10:03pm
I have a 30ft Fleetwood Gearbox. Love it and its built solid. It has the fiberglass finish. My brother inlaw has the Weekend warrior with the Aluminum sides. When its wendy is noisy & just does not feel as solid! Don't worry about damage that's what your insurance is for. The last 2 years like 08 09 weekend warriors were built junky, that's what put them out of business. So stay away from those years. They used thinner steal on the tungs & a lot of them broke. Whatever you do make sure you get a on board generator. So nice to fire it up from inside & you cant really hear them running. Also I have two RMZ450 1 RM250 1 Banshee 1 TRX90 and a 900 RZR and I have no problem loading them. Around 80% of the time I keep everthing stored in it & I never smell gas etc. IMO people who say that are full of shit, or they don't take care of their toys.
MudPup545
Posts
1700
Joined
11/14/2014
Location
Imlay City, MI, USA
1/28/2015 12:21am Edited Date/Time 1/28/2015 1:13am
Make sure the stabilizer jacks and hitch are electric. Saves the time and effort of cranking.
tomm55x
Posts
787
Joined
9/14/2014
Location
Erie, PA, USA
1/28/2015 3:47am
I don't own a toy hauler but I got to use one this summer. It was a 2013 5th wheel, idk who makes it but it was called a voltage, it's a bigger one over 30 feet,12 foot garage with a separation wall, this thing was nice, nicer than my house, marble counter tops, comfortable leather couch that's like 7 ft long and recliners built in, everything about it was nice. Lots of room, kept bikes inside at night, no fumes at all, built in quite generator, wash station outside which I liked a lot for pressure washing bikes, thing even had a look alike fire place, I could pretty much live in it.
jmpatt79
Posts
88
Joined
10/2/2011
Location
Burleson, TX, USA
1/28/2015 4:22am
thanks for your info guys ,i'm just testing the waters right now looking for input .......looking at possible 28 ft bumber pull 7000 to 8000 pounds ......when they say your half ton can pull it , is that BS ,how hard is it on a half ton ?
Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA, USA
1/28/2015 5:31am
Here is our set up when my old man and I go south we pull this loaded 8500? pound 27ft toy hauler with the Nissan Titan from State College Pa to JWTF in Maysville NC.

The truck has a 5.6 v8 and makes plenty of horsepower the problem lies in how soft the suspension but with torsion bars it is not an issue.

The trailer has a queen bed in the front
A bathroom and a kitchen down the driver side
With a big garage in the back

The kitchen table folds out and there are two beds that flip down in the garage

The two beds also flip into couches this setup works great for us as well as any motocrosser on a budget







Bressler11
Posts
383
Joined
9/7/2014
Location
Lock Haven, PA, USA
1/28/2015 5:33am
Bressler11 wrote:
Here is our set up when my old man and I go south we pull this loaded 8500? pound 27ft toy hauler with the Nissan Titan...
Here is our set up when my old man and I go south we pull this loaded 8500? pound 27ft toy hauler with the Nissan Titan from State College Pa to JWTF in Maysville NC.

The truck has a 5.6 v8 and makes plenty of horsepower the problem lies in how soft the suspension but with torsion bars it is not an issue.

The trailer has a queen bed in the front
A bathroom and a kitchen down the driver side
With a big garage in the back

The kitchen table folds out and there are two beds that flip down in the garage

The two beds also flip into couches this setup works great for us as well as any motocrosser on a budget







So to answer your question yes a half ton can pull it out Nissan is not even a halfton
huck
Posts
17024
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Mountain Home, AR, USA
1/28/2015 6:12am Edited Date/Time 1/28/2015 6:13am
I had a Jayco Recon ZX 39A. I loved it. I fit 6 bikes in the back. It had a queen bed up front, a fold down couch, 2 twin bunks...then in the cargo area it had queen bunk beds that came down from the ceiling. It also had another bathroom in the cargo area. It pulled great with my 3/4 ton. I drove it from Arkansas to Minnesota a few times for Millville, along with a few other races. I would HIGHLY recommend it.

If you are getting a 5th wheel, make sure you get one with 'mor-ryde' hitch and suspension. It is a little more expensive, but you will eliminate almost all the 'push and pull' from the expansion joints on the interstate. I had a friend with the same sized toyhauler, but didn't have the mor-ryde....he used a 1 ton truck, and his family wouldn't ride it in while pulling, because it jerked them around so much.

And if you buy a quality RV, you will not have to worry about 'fumes'...we had 6 gas cans in the back of mine for 12 hours on the way to MN, and you couldn't smell anything inside the camper.





rallendude
Posts
2203
Joined
8/17/2006
Location
Adger, AL, USA
1/28/2015 6:22am
Our set up is similar to what's above. I've got a 36' Raptor fifth wheel. You'll need a diesel 3/4 ton minimum to haul it. We've traveled all sorts of ways. I prefer the truck and camper because I can drop the camper if I need to run into town or if we go camping elsewhere and have things to do away from the camp ground. We usually camp at races Fri/Sat at least 10 times a year sometimes as much as 25. I've hauled it all over the Southeast.

I can get an EZ-GO golf cart, two full sized mx bikes and a pitbike inside. All the dirty smelly riding stuff has a home in the 12' garage and we really don't have an issue with smells coming inside, even if a little race gas ends up on the floor. The Doberman lives in the garage when we go regular camping. 110 gal fresh water 50 each gray and black storage. 5500 Watt Onan quiet generator. The only troubles we've had are wiring related. They don't do a very good job up front running it all and there is no documentation.

I wouldn't trade it for anything else.
dedi684
Posts
1389
Joined
8/21/2009
Location
Ravena, NY, USA
1/28/2015 6:41am
jmpatt79 wrote:
thanks for your info guys ,i'm just testing the waters right now looking for input .......looking at possible 28 ft bumber pull 7000 to 8000 pounds...
thanks for your info guys ,i'm just testing the waters right now looking for input .......looking at possible 28 ft bumber pull 7000 to 8000 pounds ......when they say your half ton can pull it , is that BS ,how hard is it on a half ton ?
Ive got a 27 foot keystone outback ultra lite. Cant really complain about it. Storage is in the front.
TeamGreen
Posts
37257
Joined
11/25/2008
Location
Thru-out, CA, USA
1/28/2015 8:15am
motosmith wrote:
Does anyone have an opinion on siding? The smooth fiberglass looks good but I would hate to get any damage and have to repair it. The...
Does anyone have an opinion on siding?

The smooth fiberglass looks good but I would hate to get any damage and have to repair it. The corrugated seems like it would be much easier to repair if necessary.
The Al. Siding is really easy to damage, dent...& have flying/tearing off the side of the trailer. Fiberglass Reinforced Panels are simply the best.
CR250Rider
Posts
6706
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Moses Lake, WA, USA
1/28/2015 10:29am
motosmith wrote:
Does anyone have an opinion on siding? The smooth fiberglass looks good but I would hate to get any damage and have to repair it. The...
Does anyone have an opinion on siding?

The smooth fiberglass looks good but I would hate to get any damage and have to repair it. The corrugated seems like it would be much easier to repair if necessary.
I had a fiberglass sided camper and could get decent wifi inside, now with my metal sided one it's a virtual Faraday Cage.

when I'm in a campground....
Falcon
Posts
12456
Joined
11/16/2011
Location
Menifee, CA, USA
1/28/2015 11:52am
I had a 20' FunRunner and pulled it with both a Nissan Titan and a Toyota Tundra. The Titan was greatly affected by sway but the Toyota wasn't.... not sure why. I had a weight distributing hitch on the thing and it helped.

If I was to do it all over again, I'd look for a clean used one and save some cash. I don't feel like I got my money's worth out of it, even though my family did love to use it when we could.
lumpy790
Posts
11610
Joined
9/18/2007
Location
York, SC, USA
1/28/2015 3:45pm
went with a 30 ft bumper pull

1/28/2015 3:52pm
Might not be popular but....
My advice would be to get the smallest trailer that will work for you.
If you can get away with a regular bumper pull travel trailer and use the bed of your truck for the toys...that would be ideal.
If not, I would go with the smallest 5th wheel toyhauler you can find...30' or smaller.
Fiberglass sides are the way to go...imo.
sumdood
Posts
8970
Joined
3/11/2013
Location
San Clemente, CA, USA
Fantasy
1/28/2015 4:23pm
We have a 28' bumper pull WW with a small slide (for a couch). it's right around 7,000lbs empty. I'm happy with it. I would NOT want to pull it with a 1/2 ton truck, I don't care what you do to the suspension or motor you still have to stop the sob. Ours is nice for longer trips, it has 150 gals of fresh and 50/50 gray/black, and dual 6 volts. I pull it with a 2500 4wd Dodge with the cummins diesel. Some guys like to move the axles under the springs for more ground clearance off road, I left ours stock because I was more concerned with driving in the wind than going fast offroad. My advice is don't overtax your truck, it will just make your drive more stressfull and kill your tranny and brakes. If you want a 28' trailer you need a 3/4 ton truck minimum (IMO)
KLM85
Posts
75
Joined
1/24/2012
Location
Gilbert, AZ, USA
1/28/2015 5:02pm
jmpatt79 wrote:
thanks for your info guys ,i'm just testing the waters right now looking for input .......looking at possible 28 ft bumber pull 7000 to 8000 pounds...
thanks for your info guys ,i'm just testing the waters right now looking for input .......looking at possible 28 ft bumber pull 7000 to 8000 pounds ......when they say your half ton can pull it , is that BS ,how hard is it on a half ton ?
I'm probably close to 8k loaded up with the above setup. I have an equalizer hitch and that 14 half ton ram pulls it stress free. I usually do about 72 but a lot of times on the way home I'll do 75 to 80. That hitch makes all the difference with half tons.

The ram isn't the best half ton to pull with
of the three big brands due to the coil suspension but it's never lacking for power or braking power.


This Trailer is only 8 months old but my advice if you pick something up is never let the tires go over 3 years on the Trailer and tow vehicle.
KLM85
Posts
75
Joined
1/24/2012
Location
Gilbert, AZ, USA
1/28/2015 5:13pm Edited Date/Time 1/28/2015 5:14pm
KLM85 wrote:
I bought a 2014 forest river 25v I was pretty happy with. The layout makes all the difference to me. I got it with a bathroom...
I bought a 2014 forest river 25v I was pretty happy with. The layout makes all the difference to me. I got it with a bathroom and Real doors in between the front bedroom and kitchen/box which gives you some privacy. It's got a king bed in the bedroom and makes it feel more like a small apartment.

My daughter is younger and my wifes pregnant so I'm the only one riding but even being half ton towable you could still fit a 4 seat rzr plus a bike if you wanted. I'm a neat freak so I put the bike in the truck and don't have a utv.

Its 6500 lbs empty and it pulls nicely with my half ton 2014 ram. I prefer the portable quiet Honda generator so I opted to not get one with a generator.

I'd try to stay total length under thirty feet. 30 or shorter you can park most places and maneuver well.




Mickolobe7 wrote:
That thing is sick how many bikes can you fit 3? How many snowmobiles 2 maybe? I like your set up I have the same truck...
That thing is sick how many bikes can you fit 3? How many snowmobiles 2 maybe?

I like your set up I have the same truck Black only need you toy hauler!
Thanks it sure makes it easier to take my wife and daughter. It's got some good space. If you were creative you could get 5 or 6 bikes in there with the tires facing the side. Probably two sleds.
Cancerman
Posts
757
Joined
7/16/2011
Location
In Hell, FL, USA
1/28/2015 7:13pm
Katoomey wrote:
Livin' Lite. Check them out for sure. Conventional RV products are built like 18th century shithouses. They're heavy and don't hold up well. I have a...
Livin' Lite. Check them out for sure. Conventional RV products are built like 18th century shithouses. They're heavy and don't hold up well.

I have a 16' Bearcat that I use to travel around to races. It is pretty tiny as far toy haulers go, but its perfect for a couple of buddies to go racing for the weekend. Mine has two tipouts, so you can technically sleep 4. It's built really well, and the design is really functional and practical. They probably aren't very WAF friendly though. They're sort of spartan and utilitarian.

The best thing about them is you can sleep in them with your toys still inside, which is very important to me in certain situations. well, that and they're half the weight of a most toy haulers of comparable size.
Any Pic's you can throw up? It sounds pretty good.
1/28/2015 8:17pm
jmpatt79 wrote:
thanks for your info guys ,i'm just testing the waters right now looking for input .......looking at possible 28 ft bumber pull 7000 to 8000 pounds...
thanks for your info guys ,i'm just testing the waters right now looking for input .......looking at possible 28 ft bumber pull 7000 to 8000 pounds ......when they say your half ton can pull it , is that BS ,how hard is it on a half ton ?
We had a 26 ft Gearbox we pulled with a Tundra, it was 7000 lbs empty. When we had it fully loaded down with toys and gear, we were around 9500 lbs. That's a LOT of weight for a half ton truck, especially if you are towing up and down steep hills like we have here in AZ. If it's flat, you'll be fine. In learning that, I would recommend not going over 25 ft and getting a super lite, that weighs under 5500 lbs empty and has a minimum of 12 feet of full cargo length. Also pay attention to tongue weight, because your truck may be able to pull the total weight, but the tongue weight may be too much. Half ton trucks have a 1000 lb tongue weight limit. We had the Fiberglass, and it will delaminate and look like crap after a while (7-10 years). So if you get a used one, don't get Fiberglass. I'd get aluminum if I did it all over again. If you go the new route, then Fiberglass is likely ok, but make sure you sell it after about 7 years before it delaminates.

We rent now after we sold ours. The BEST rental we have used is the Weekend Warrior 25 foot Super lite 2500FS. It has a queen bed in the front and 2 queen bunks in the back with 12ft of cargo space, ~5000 lbs empty, and ~750 lb tongue weight. That has been the best combination of useable space (can fit a 4 seat RZR), most beds, light weight, and easy (and safe) to tow. The 2007 and 2008 models sell used for about $12K-$16K.
Thelen20
Posts
2062
Joined
11/28/2009
Location
Marshall, TX, USA
2/1/2015 11:22am
I had a 18ft coachman adrenaline blast that worked well but got some water damage due to my ignorance. RV shop said that it was not worth repairing it so I traded it in and took a huge loss.

Picked up a 28ft forest river xlr nitro bumper pull and put it under a shed from day one. Really nice trailer! No separate cargo area, I would rather have a larger living area and cargo area than to have them separate. No slide outs to simplify things, I have heard that there are two kinds of slide outs, one that leak and ones that are going to leak. It weighs 7800 empty and I figure it ends up around 10k lbs loaded for MX.

Dealer sold me on it being half ton towable but my 08 Chevy 1500 with a 5.3 v8 was not enough truck IMO. Towed the trailer home clenching my teeth everytime a 18wheeler came past then went shopping for a duramax. Much more pleasant towing experience now.

Worked my tail off and got the trailer paid for and I think we will enjoy it for years to come. Pic of my rig loaded and ready to roll

Post a reply to: toyhaulers for mx family

The Latest